India is the home of many religions. Here Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, etc, have thrived side by side. The instances of religious bigotry and persecution are rare in the history of India. On the other hand, the persecuted people from other countries got refuge in this country. It would have been unwise to violate the ancient traditions of tolerance and magnanimity.
Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, dedicated all his life to the unity of the Hindus and Muslims. He laid down his life for the noble; cause and the nation could not be so ungrateful as to throw his teachings over-board and carve out a patch which was entirely different from his noble teachings and ancient Indian traditions. Gandhiji has left an indelible imprint on the mind of the present generation and the Gandhian philosophy will continue to be a beacon light to posterity.
Again, the world has progressed with the advancement of Knowledge. Every modern State professes faith in democracy which stands for equal rights for all citizens, irrespective of their sex, caste or creed. To make India a theocratic state would certainly have been a retrograde step.
Secularism as a political concept is the result of the evolution of progressive thought. In the past religion held sway even in the political affairs of the States in Europe and religious bigotry led to internecine quarrels and mutual warfare. Thousands of people were burned at the stake as heretics. But with the progress of science free thinking was stimulated. It was realised that differences in religious views were not incompatible with loyalty to the State.
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Politics ceased to be the handmaid of religion and religion withdrew itself to private life. The States stopped discrimination on religious grounds and conferred equal rights on all the citizens irrespective of their religious views. It would have been barbarous for India to repeat history by making religion the sole guide in all spheres in the Age of Democracy.
India is the home of many communities. If she is to command loyalty from all her people, she must profess secularism. The majority community should not reduce the people of other communities to second-class citizens.
All the citizens must enjoy equal rights and there should be no temptation to any citizen to divide his loyalty on religious grounds. It is secularism which can give a sense of security to the religious minorities and exact allegiance from them to the country.
A State associated with a religion creates fears and uncertainties in the mind of the minorities. In Pakistan which is a theocratic State, there has been systematic extermination of the Hindus and this has created fear in the mind of the minority communities. A theocratic State inevitably leads to divided loyalty.
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Lastly, it is because of secularism that India has maintained friendly relations with the Muslim countries in the Middle East and South East Asia and won an honourable place for herself in the comity of nations.